Folding table construction



Nov. 11,- 1941. H. N. ANDERSON 2,262,154

FOLDING TABLE CONSTRUCTION Filed July 25, 1939 I 'III'IAXVIIAVI f ID 0 7k fry: 6

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Patented Nov. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDING TABLECONSTRUCTION Harry Nels Anderson, Orleans, Vt. Application July 25,1939, Serial No. 286,439

1 Claim.

This invention relates to folding tables, and particularly folding tablelegs and the like, and particularly to a construction for such useswhich may be accommodated entirely within the smallest table frames,such as may be used on card tables, as well as being useful in otherstructures where required.

It is an important object of the invention to present a leg mounting andlocking device which will afford a sturdy leg mounting, and great se- 1curity in the retention of the legs in extended position for supportingthe table or other structure in which they are incorporated. Anotherimportant object is to present such a mounting which will at the sametime be free from liabilit of loose play of the leg when in extended orretracted positions, but will be extremely rigid, and which will notsuffer in this respect by wear without requiring compensating adjustmentor repair, but will automatically compensate for wear in the parts bywhich the leg is locked in open position as well as those by which it isretained in closed or collapsed position.

It is an important aim of the invention to evolve a construction, which,while attaining the foregoing objects, will at the same time not requireparts that will restrict the knee-room under the table, and will involveno parts projecting or forming diagonals below the usual shallow frameof a folding card table or bridge table, so that all looking parts areinvisible, and whereby the table and legs will present a trimappearance.

It is also an aim to combine with these advantages a design of partsthat will enable rapid assembly throughout, both in manufacture of themounting and its operative parts, and also in its incorporation in atable. A related object of importance is to attain a bracing of theframe of the table by the attainment of my leg mounting unit, includinga strengthening of the miter or other joint at the corners of the frame.A further aim is to present a leg pivot in such devices that will notonly be secure on the mounting unit, but will in addition beincorporated with the frame of the table in such manner that it will beunited therewith additionally, giving it greater rigidity of axis of thepivot with respect to the table body, and adding to the strength of thepivot.

Another important aim of the invention is to attain great rigidity andsecurity of the locking of the leg in extended position and at the sametime attain a release which may be finger-operated with great ease.

Yet another object is to present a spring-loaded lock, which, by the useof the same spring will function in a novel way to retain the legyieldingl in a closed position and lock it in open position, releasably.

A still further purpose is to offer a construction in which the pivotmounting and adjustment of resistance of the leg to opening may beobtained by a single member.

It is also my purpose to enable the production of the invention in asimple form with a minimum number of parts adapted to be produced byconventional manufacturing operations.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention reside in theconstruction, arrangement and combination of parts involved in theembodiment of the invention, as will be understood from the followingdescription and accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a horizontalsectional view of one corner of a table in which my invention isincorporated;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the leg mounting unit from the right ofFigure 2;

Figure 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Figure 5 is a bottom view of a modification;

Figure 6 is a bottom view of a complete table;

Figure '7 is a plan of the blank for the frame of my leg-mounting unit,

There is illustrated a portion of a table ID, the form of which may bethe conventional square table with four legs II, and including a tabletop surface piece l2, which may be of ply wood or other materialsuitably finished or covered, and a simple frame 13, consisting of fourside pieces I4 mitered and connected with ends abutting at right anglesto each other at the corners of the table, and this frame then securedto the top 12 by any suitable fastenings or adhesives. The pieces 14 inthe present in stance are oblong in cross section having their majortransverse dimensions disposed vertically, the inner upper portions ofthe side pieces being rabbe'ted and the top piece i2 set flush with thetop thereof :so that its edges are protected and concealed. The buttedends of the side pieces 14 may be connected by driven connectors I5 orotherwise, but in addition are firmly connected by the base frame pieceof my leg. mounting unit now to be described.

The mounting unit, aside from the table top I2 and frame [3, consists ofa bed frame piece I6 formed of strap sheet metal having a long side armmember or wall I'I, secured against one side piece of the frame l3 and ashort arm or wall member I8 parallel to the first, the two being joinedby a connecting bight wall I9 set against the side of the frame next tothat first mentioned. These wall parts of the bed frame are formed bymaking two bends at right angles in a stock sheet strip. The frame It isof a height the same as that of the frame I3 from the table top I2 tothe lower edge of the pieces I4, or may be less. The space within thebight formed by the parts II, I8, and I9 is of suitable dimensions tosnugly receive the upper end of a table leg I I, which in such tables iscustomarily square in cross section. The outer end portion 2| of thelong wall I! is offset outwardly slightly, at a line near the inner edgeof the open leg, and longitudinally slotted a short distance at 22 inthe junction 23 of the offset, so that a spring to be described may beheld between the inner wall part I! and the frame member I4 and extendedthrough the aperture.

In the present instance, the upper end of the leg is pivoted in thebight of the frame I6 by means of a long screw 24 engaged through theleg and through apertures in the walls H and I8, and engaged in theframe member I4 thereadjacent. This screw thereby serves as a pivot forthe leg, attaches the assembly to the frame I3, and in addition servesas an adjustment for wear between the leg faces and the frame I6. Theupper end face of the leg is semi-cylindrical, concentric with the screw24, so as to afford free movement of the leg on its pivot close againstthe bight wall I9 and the table top I2. By engaging this screw 24 in theframe I3, rigidity of the axis of the leg pivot is greatly enhanced,while permitting use of comparatively thin metal for the frame I6 of themounting unit.

In the embodiment shown, this upper end of the leg is fitted with apressed metal cap or facing 25 which may be formed as a stamping fromone piece of metal, and will minimize wear of the engaged surfaces, aswell as give greater rigidity to the leg in the mounting, as will beunderstood. The leg end is engaged in this cap with a driven fit.

The far end of the wall portion 2| is formed with a vertical edge, andthe adjacent end portion of the wall is turned inward at right angles,forming a step bearing flange 26, a vertical slot or opening 21 beingformed in the base portion of the flange, which may be an open slot, isdesired. The wall portion 2| is apertured in its upper and lower partsto receive mounting screws as at 28 by which it is held securely to themember I4 thereadjacent. The bight wall I9 may also be apertured toreceive fastening screws as at 29, by which it is attached firmly to theadjacent member I4 of the table frame I3, and also connects the miteredmembers I4 firmly, as well as adding rigidity to the pivot 24.

The flange 26 stops at the plane of the inner face of the wall part I'I,so that pivotal movement of the leg is permitted from full open orvertical position to a folded or retracted position lying close under oragainst the table top I2 beside the frame piece I4 against which thewall portion 2| is secured.

Set against the step flange 26, there is a lock wing plate 38, having atongue 3| extended through the slot 27 and turned under the end of theWall portion 2I. Adjacent the leg, two extensions 32 are formed on theinner end of this plate, bent outwardly so they extend at an angle of 90degrees more or less to the body of the plate 30, forming stop or lockflanges 32 adapted to abut tightly against the side of the leg when theplate is pressed inward so as to move on its edge at the flange 26 as apivot. The flange 32 projects a substantial distance through slot 32' inthe wall 2i, the side piece I4 being recessed to receive them. A spring33 of wire or other suitable material is confined between the wall I!and frame piece I4, in the present instance being shown as a flat coilof a number of turns of wire encircling the screw 24, and having anouter arm 34 shaped so as to bear against the wing 30 or a lock flange32 to hold the wing at its inner limit of movement where it will bestopped by the flange binding against the leg 20 when the latter isextended, as will be explained. The frame piece I4 is recessed under thewall portion 2| to allow the spring to move outwardly of the wall 2I attimes, and the frame piece I4 is also additionally recessed at 36 toreceive the flanges 32 properly. These flanges 32 are set at an angle ofapproximately 90 degrees to the body of the wing plate 39, and being ata tangent to the are described by the angle or injunction of the flangeand wing when the latter is swung inwardly on its pivot, the distalportions of the flanges swing further toward the leg and so effect awiping or wedging action againts the leg, serving to press it againstthe bight E9 of the mount frame. Initially this engagement occurs aftera comparatively short movement of the wing, substantially as shown inFigure 1, and when the surface of the cap 25 (which is included in theterm leg) and the flanges 32 wear, the clearance is accommodated by aslightly further movement of the wing thereby permitted and consequentfurther wedging of the flange against the leg. For these functions it isconsidered desirable to have the spring shaped so that the spring willnot strike the side of the leg before the lock flange has been moved asuflicient distance for substantial compensating function indicated.Apertures 33 are formed in the plate 36 to receive screws andscrew-driver therethrough to facilitate placement of the screws 28holding the plate portion 22 to the table frame.

In the wing plate 38 near its swinging edge a recess 31 is pressed orindented, and on the leg II a knob or tooth 33 is provided which willslide on the plate 33 as the leg is closed and move into the recess whenthe leg reaches full closed or retracted position, serving as a yieldinglatch to hold the leg in closed position, yieldable however to manualforce applied near the end of the leg to swing the leg outward. Thespring arm 34 presses the wing plate against the leg properly to causethe tooth and indentation to function properly as described, as well asto operate the wing for the leg locking function.

In the production of the invention the frame It is stamped and shaped,and assuming that the slot 27 is an open one with two side portions ofthe step flange'26, the lock wing is separately formed with the tongue3| straight or partly bent, and after the tongue is laid in the slot 21while the flanges 32 are engaged through the wall 2|, the tongue is bentfully inward under the end of the wall 2I as far as required. The wingwill not then become accidentally disengaged. The spring 33 is formedwith an inner very small coil into which the screw 24 may be screw-edand retained after being passed through the walls l3 and I1 and the leg,which will hold the unit in assembly before mounting on the table.

The recesses for the spring and flanges 32 may be formed in the sidepieces 32 before assembly of the table top or frame l3, and the tabletop and frame |3 afterward assembled.

The legs and mounting units are then put in place by removing the legsand attaching the frame piece l6 by means of the screws in the wallportions H] and 2|, after which the leg is replaced in proper positionand the screw 24 introduced through the wall IS, the leg, wall l1, andspring, and screwed into the side member M of the frame so as to holdthe leg snugly compressed between the walls I1 and I8 and to secure thespring between the wall I1 and side member M.

This completes the assembly of the table and legs. While the mountingunits have been shown with the longer sides of the frames Hi allextending in one direction, if desired, the unit frame may be invertedso that the longer side of the frame I6 will extend along the adjacentside member M of the table frame, or in case of a long table two unitsmay be mounted so that both legs fold beside one side member of thetable frame. In such event the two legs at each end may becross-connected in any familiar way so as to swing together, this notbeing illustrated since it is familiar in prior tables.

It should be noted that the slots 32 in the wall portion 2| are wideenough to clear the flanges 32 in their relative longitudinal movementin the wall, until they have moved nearly to their extreme limit, sothat the action of the lock plate will not be impeded except by the legengaging these flanges. In the final movement of the lock.- plateinward, the end portions of the flanges 32 will engage the sides of theslots 32 and so prevent disengagement of the lock plate from theassembly when the leg is not in place. If desired the ends of theflanges 32 may be slightly upset or bent to prevent their passage out ofthe slots 32, as in Fig. 1.

In the use of the table, after assembly as described, when the legs arein opened or extended and vertical positions, they may be closed oneat atime by a single person pressing the wing plate 3|) outward against thepart 2| of the leg mount frame I6 with the fingers of one hand appliedintermediately of the length of the plate 30, and with the other handswinging the leg a short distance on its pivot, so that it becomessuperposed over the plate 30 partly. This will retain the plate 3|]compressed while the fingers by which it was initially moved arewithdrawn. The

leg is then swung fully to retracted or folded position, lying closeunder the table top and beside the piece M of the frame I3. At thisposition the tooth 38 will be entered in the indentation 31, holding theleg against accidental movement outwardly, but yieldable to moderatemanual force applied on the outer part of the leg. To erect the tableafter folding of the legs, the top may be laid in inverted position onthe floor or set on edge and held with one hand, while the legs arepulled outward and swung to position vertical to the plane of the table.This permits the plates 30 to be swung inwardly before the legs by thespring 33, and the flanges 32 wiping against the sides of the legs lockthem firmly against the bight walls |9 of the frame It.

As shown in Figure 5, the lock plate 30 may have a central longitudinalextension 40 set outward at an angle of approximately 20 degrees to theplane of the plate 3|] and a plunger 6| may be mounted slidably in abore through the side piece M, to operate the lock plate for release ofthe leg by manual pressure on the outer end of the plunger, which isheaded and projected a distance from the face of the frame when the legis erect and the lock plate in looking position. The plunger need not besecured to the lock plate, and may simply bear thereon. A cotter pin 42through the inner end of the plunger will retain it against loss, orother expedient may be used.

A tongue 3| corresponding to the one 3| before described may be struckfrom the material of the plate 30 or extension 40 and the remainder ofthe construction of the unit may be as before described, the samereference characters indicating the parts before described.

I claim:

In a table leg mounting wherein the leg is pivoted in the bight of aU-shaped frame one arm of which is extended and offset at its outer partfrom the path of the leg, and wherein a locking plate is pivoted at theouter end of said extension; a pivot member for the leg engaged throughthe arms of the frame consisting of a screw projecting through the longarm outwardly for engagement in a table rail and the like. the long armbeing longitudinally slotted at the junction of its offset part with itsinner part, a spring device comprising an eye portion snugly fitted onthe screw next the frame, and having an arm extended through said slotand shaped to press against the locking plate, whereby mounting of theleg with said screw will fix the spring in operative relation to thelocking plate.

HARRY NELS ANDERSON.

